Bullying contributes to Auckland being stripped of ICU training

Complaints of bullying and harassment by supervisors which have contributed to Auckland’s critical care department losing its training accreditation are further evidence of the appalling culture at executive level, Labour’s Health spokesperson Annette King says.

“The department had its accreditation withdrawn late last year after failing to meet certain standards. Attempts to find out why were stymied by Auckland District Health Board senior management refusing to answer several OIA requests.

“Their latest response sheds light on why they tried to keep it on the low down, with allegations of bullying, a poor culture towards trainees, lack of adequate training and a unit director who wasn’t fully qualified.

“This only adds to the mounting evidence of a dysfunctional and nasty culture at the top levels in the Ministry of Health.

“It follows news that orthopaedic training accreditation has just been withdrawn at New Zealand’s major teaching centre at Dunedin Hospital. It also lost its status as an Australasian intensive-care training hospital in November last year.

“Loss of ICU accreditation is a serious setback. It doesn’t just have implications for trainees but for people working in surgery, emergency medicine and anaesthesia as well.

“The environment in health is anything but. Minister Jonathan Coleman needs to take a lead and get to the bottom of it,” Annette King says.